| Organic waste management alternatives for restaurants and foodservice
By Janine Bolton, LEAF
May 9, 2011 | | |
Restaurants and foodservice facilities across Canada create an incredible amount of organic waste each day. For most foodservice operations, options for organic waste disposal are few. Most foodservice facilities send their organic waste (fruit and vegetable scraps, paper towels, coffee grinds, etc) to the landfill with the rest of their garbage because it’s easy, fast, and cheap. The issue with this practice is that contrary to popular belief, organic waste does not biodegrade in the landfill but is broken down anaerobically. This process produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. | |
| | Options for organic waste: Composting Composting is a great way to manage organic waste because it reduces gas emissions and turns the waste back into nutrient-rich compost, which can then be used to grow more food. The City of Toronto runs a green bin program, which collects organic waste from restaurants and turns it into compost. Unfortunately, this service outside of Toronto is largely unavailable unless you’re willing to pay out of pocket for a private company to pick up your organics. Don’t let this deter you. Look for other cost-saving opportunities in your restaurant that will offset the cost of a composting service. Vermiculture |
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| | Vermiculture is different from traditional composting in that worms are used in an enclosed container to degrade the waste. Eco Verm, a Canadian company, provides an innovative system that turns organic waste into profit for restaurants in Canada. Eco Verm claims to be the first commercial vermiculture system in the country. It purchases the castings from a restaurant at a guaranteed price, helping the restauranteur eliminate the castings and gain an additional revenue stream. This can be a more cost-effective strategy for those restauranteurs looking to reduce their waste hauling costs and environmental impact at the same time. More information www.composting.ca
www.csrplus.com
About the author:  Janine Bolton is President of LEAF (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice), a National organizationthat is dedicated to helping those in the foodservice industry reduce their environmental impact, and recognizes them for doing so.
Like many students, Janine put herself through University by working in the foodservice industry. Janine has always had a passion for the environment and was deeply bothered by the amount of waste she observed during this time. After recognizing a gap in the environmental sector, Janine set forth to develop a program that would specifically address the environmental impacts of the foodservice industry in Canada. Janine is originally from Vancouver Island, B.C., and now resides in Calgary, Alberta, where she is involved with various sustainability initiatives. Janine holds a B.Sc. in Nutritional Science from the University of Alberta, is a Registered Dietitian and a member of the College of Dietitians of Alberta. | |  | | < Back | | | | | Copyright © RestoBiz. All rights reserved. | |
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